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WIOA/ Workforce Development

The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) maintains a primary focus on assisting job seekers with and without disabilities in succeeding in the labor market, matching employers with skilled workers who benefit from education, skills training, and career services from the workforce development system. The LEAD Center is focused on highlighting the opportunities presented in the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) to build integrated cross-system collaborations that improve employment and economic outcomes for youth and adult job seekers with disabilities.

The purpose of this policy brief is to provide a summary of the NPRM implementing the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of Section 188 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) from a disability perspective.

The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is a recruitment and referral program that connects federal and private sector employers nationwide with highly motivated college students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to prove their...

The American Job Center Network provides a single, 24-7 access point for key federal programs and critical local resources to help people find a job, identify training programs, and tap into resources to help them gain skills in growing industries.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), individuals with HIV infection or AIDS are protected against workplace discrimination and harrasment regarding their condition, afforded workplace privacy rights and may have legal rights to request

The video series highlights the importance of work and work-based experiences in the transition to adulthood and was created by the Youth Transitions Collaborative, a community of more than 45 organizat

On July 26, 2010, President Obama issued Executive Order (E.O.) 13548 on Increasing Federal Employment of Individuals with Disabilities, to mark the historic 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). E.O.

The U.S. Department of Labor has developed this Reference Guide to assist AJCs by providing promising practices that correlate with specific nondiscrimination requirements in Section 188 and the current Section 188 regulations.

View this webinar to learn more about cross-system collaboration and WIOA opportunities to support career counseling, skills training, job exploration, leadership development, and financial literacy education for youth with and without disabilities.

A growing number of Centers for Independent Living are providing employment services to meet the needs of their customers and to improve the employment and economic advancement outcomes of individuals with disabilities.

This webinar, as part of our Employment mini-series, will provide information on strategies for enhancing employment stability and improving time on the job through the use of economic advancement strategies.

U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA) recently launched WorkforceGPS - the next generation, mobile-friendly, and accessible website that gives the public workforce system, education professionals, and business...

On October 31, the U.S. Department of Justice released guidance on how the Integration Mandate of Title II of the ADA and the Olmstead decision are to be applied to state and local governments’ employment service systems.

LEAD Center staff reviewed state plans from California, Iowa, and North Carolina utilizing a guide we developed that identifies key areas for plan design and implementation to advance effective and meaningful participation of youth and adults with

On April 2, 2015, the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA) issued five notices of proposed rulemaking (NPRMs) on the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).

In December 2014, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the LEAD Center released the report, “Best Practices in Employee Retention and Return-to-Work: An In-Depth Look Inside an Exemplary American...

ETA is inviting state and local workforce leaders and practitioners, workforce system partners, customer and other stakeholders to participate in upcoming webinars to provide input on the implementation of the recently passed Workforce Innovation...

In LEAD Center's newest blog, Alison Nodvin Barkoff and her brother, Evan Nodvin, share how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has impacted their family, commemorate its 28th anniversary, and urge others to keep advocating for progress.

The Campaign for Disability Employment (CDE) shares information on their national effort aimed at shaping attitudes and improving employment opportunities for people with disabilities, and how their work intersects with October being National...

Inclusion works, and at the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), we can tell you – with research to back it up – that the benefits employers receive from implementing effective workplace accommodations far outweigh the low cost.

As workers age, they may acquire disabilities, so corporations would be wise to think about cost-effective ways of providing workplace accommodations. What best practices can companies put in place to address the needs of all employees while staying...

Beyond simply thanking our veterans for their service, it is our duty to actively help them succeed as members of society. Seeking to meet this need, the Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service created Veterans.gov.

The purpose of this policy brief is to provide a summary of the NPRM implementing the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of Section 188 of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) from a disability perspective.

The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) is a recruitment and referral program that connects federal and private sector employers nationwide with highly motivated college students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to prove their...

The American Job Center Network provides a single, 24-7 access point for key federal programs and critical local resources to help people find a job, identify training programs, and tap into resources to help them gain skills in growing industries.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), individuals with HIV infection or AIDS are protected against workplace discrimination and harrasment regarding their condition, afforded workplace privacy rights and may have legal rights to request

The video series highlights the importance of work and work-based experiences in the transition to adulthood and was created by the Youth Transitions Collaborative, a community of more than 45 organizat

On July 26, 2010, President Obama issued Executive Order (E.O.) 13548 on Increasing Federal Employment of Individuals with Disabilities, to mark the historic 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). E.O.

The U.S. Department of Labor has developed this Reference Guide to assist AJCs by providing promising practices that correlate with specific nondiscrimination requirements in Section 188 and the current Section 188 regulations.

View this webinar to learn more about cross-system collaboration and WIOA opportunities to support career counseling, skills training, job exploration, leadership development, and financial literacy education for youth with and without disabilities.

A growing number of Centers for Independent Living are providing employment services to meet the needs of their customers and to improve the employment and economic advancement outcomes of individuals with disabilities.

This webinar, as part of our Employment mini-series, will provide information on strategies for enhancing employment stability and improving time on the job through the use of economic advancement strategies.

U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA) recently launched WorkforceGPS - the next generation, mobile-friendly, and accessible website that gives the public workforce system, education professionals, and business...

On October 31, the U.S. Department of Justice released guidance on how the Integration Mandate of Title II of the ADA and the Olmstead decision are to be applied to state and local governments’ employment service systems.

LEAD Center staff reviewed state plans from California, Iowa, and North Carolina utilizing a guide we developed that identifies key areas for plan design and implementation to advance effective and meaningful participation of youth and adults with

On April 2, 2015, the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration (ETA) issued five notices of proposed rulemaking (NPRMs) on the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).

In December 2014, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) and the LEAD Center released the report, “Best Practices in Employee Retention and Return-to-Work: An In-Depth Look Inside an Exemplary American...

ETA is inviting state and local workforce leaders and practitioners, workforce system partners, customer and other stakeholders to participate in upcoming webinars to provide input on the implementation of the recently passed Workforce Innovation...

In LEAD Center's newest blog, Alison Nodvin Barkoff and her brother, Evan Nodvin, share how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has impacted their family, commemorate its 28th anniversary, and urge others to keep advocating for progress.

The Campaign for Disability Employment (CDE) shares information on their national effort aimed at shaping attitudes and improving employment opportunities for people with disabilities, and how their work intersects with October being National...

Inclusion works, and at the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), we can tell you – with research to back it up – that the benefits employers receive from implementing effective workplace accommodations far outweigh the low cost.

As workers age, they may acquire disabilities, so corporations would be wise to think about cost-effective ways of providing workplace accommodations. What best practices can companies put in place to address the needs of all employees while staying...

Beyond simply thanking our veterans for their service, it is our duty to actively help them succeed as members of society. Seeking to meet this need, the Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service created Veterans.gov.

Categories - SM Tablet

World Institute on Disability - Proyecto Visión, Kathy Martinez and Robin Savinar, 2006
This groundbreaking report co-authored by Kathleen Martinez, current Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor for Disability Employment Policy,...

This brief details the LEAD Center’s work with the state of Virginia, the strategic direction they chose, their approaches and strategies to building infrastructure to support Equal Opportunity and what they learned along the way.

This Section 188 Disability Reference Guide provides updated information and technical assistance that can help American Job Centers and their partners in the workforce development system meet the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity requirements...

This brief details the LEAD Center’s work with Missouri, the strategic direction they chose, Missouri’s statewide approach to building infrastructure to support Equal Opportunity, and what they learned along the way.

Inclusive career pathways are programs and approaches designed to support people whose career options have been limited because they lack the academic and/or technical skills necessary to complete the credentialing requirements of many key high-...

The Business 30-Second Training Series and complimentary Business Resource Guide were developed with a business focus and designed to educate businesses, hiring managers and supervisors about proven strategies and easy-to-use resources that can...

U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA) recently launched WorkforceGPS - the next generation, mobile-friendly, and accessible website that gives the public workforce system, education professionals, and business...

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued final regulations for the “Schedule A Hiring Authority” to simplify the hiring process of people with intellectual, significant and psychiatric disabilities by not requiring candidates who have...

The popular job search website Monster.com will be the first job search and recruitment website in the industry to provide job seekers who are blind with full and equal access to all of its products and services including mobile applications.

There is a lot of talk today about “1 percent of the population.” When most people hear that phrase, they immediately think of the smallest percentage of the population with the greatest wealth. They think of the ‘have’s’ vs. the ‘have not’s.’

I’ve had the pleasure of listening to Kathy Martinez, Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, speak on a number of different occasions over the years.

As we head into the final week of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), much progress has been in the disability employment movement. Momentum is obviously on our side. But, that does not mean the road ahead will be easy or as fast...

Small businesses are the backbone of our nation's economy. In fact, in the United States, small businesses account for over 50 percent of all newly created jobs. While small businesses can provide excellent opportunities for millions of Americans,...

Our nation's economy continues to improve, the overall unemployment rate continues to fall and businesses are hiring at rates near pre-Great Recession levels. Unfortunately, however, the employment situation for people with disabilities is largely...

Dedicated to advancing knowledge, policies and practices to enhance the opportunities of people with disabilities, Cornell University's Employment and Disability Institute recently released this report to further examine inclusive workforce...

Categories - Phablet

World Institute on Disability - Proyecto Visión, Kathy Martinez and Robin Savinar, 2006
This groundbreaking report co-authored by Kathleen Martinez, current Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor for Disability Employment Policy,...

This brief details the LEAD Center’s work with the state of Virginia, the strategic direction they chose, their approaches and strategies to building infrastructure to support Equal Opportunity and what they learned along the way.

This Section 188 Disability Reference Guide provides updated information and technical assistance that can help American Job Centers and their partners in the workforce development system meet the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity requirements...

This brief details the LEAD Center’s work with Missouri, the strategic direction they chose, Missouri’s statewide approach to building infrastructure to support Equal Opportunity, and what they learned along the way.

Inclusive career pathways are programs and approaches designed to support people whose career options have been limited because they lack the academic and/or technical skills necessary to complete the credentialing requirements of many key high-...

The Business 30-Second Training Series and complimentary Business Resource Guide were developed with a business focus and designed to educate businesses, hiring managers and supervisors about proven strategies and easy-to-use resources that can...

U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA) recently launched WorkforceGPS - the next generation, mobile-friendly, and accessible website that gives the public workforce system, education professionals, and business...

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued final regulations for the “Schedule A Hiring Authority” to simplify the hiring process of people with intellectual, significant and psychiatric disabilities by not requiring candidates who have...

The popular job search website Monster.com will be the first job search and recruitment website in the industry to provide job seekers who are blind with full and equal access to all of its products and services including mobile applications.

There is a lot of talk today about “1 percent of the population.” When most people hear that phrase, they immediately think of the smallest percentage of the population with the greatest wealth. They think of the ‘have’s’ vs. the ‘have not’s.’

I’ve had the pleasure of listening to Kathy Martinez, Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, speak on a number of different occasions over the years.

As we head into the final week of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), much progress has been in the disability employment movement. Momentum is obviously on our side. But, that does not mean the road ahead will be easy or as fast...

Small businesses are the backbone of our nation's economy. In fact, in the United States, small businesses account for over 50 percent of all newly created jobs. While small businesses can provide excellent opportunities for millions of Americans,...

Our nation's economy continues to improve, the overall unemployment rate continues to fall and businesses are hiring at rates near pre-Great Recession levels. Unfortunately, however, the employment situation for people with disabilities is largely...

Dedicated to advancing knowledge, policies and practices to enhance the opportunities of people with disabilities, Cornell University's Employment and Disability Institute recently released this report to further examine inclusive workforce...

Categories - Phone

World Institute on Disability - Proyecto Visión, Kathy Martinez and Robin Savinar, 2006
This groundbreaking report co-authored by Kathleen Martinez, current Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor for Disability Employment Policy,...

This brief details the LEAD Center’s work with the state of Virginia, the strategic direction they chose, their approaches and strategies to building infrastructure to support Equal Opportunity and what they learned along the way.

This Section 188 Disability Reference Guide provides updated information and technical assistance that can help American Job Centers and their partners in the workforce development system meet the nondiscrimination and equal opportunity requirements...

This brief details the LEAD Center’s work with Missouri, the strategic direction they chose, Missouri’s statewide approach to building infrastructure to support Equal Opportunity, and what they learned along the way.

Inclusive career pathways are programs and approaches designed to support people whose career options have been limited because they lack the academic and/or technical skills necessary to complete the credentialing requirements of many key high-...

The Business 30-Second Training Series and complimentary Business Resource Guide were developed with a business focus and designed to educate businesses, hiring managers and supervisors about proven strategies and easy-to-use resources that can...

U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA) recently launched WorkforceGPS - the next generation, mobile-friendly, and accessible website that gives the public workforce system, education professionals, and business...

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued final regulations for the “Schedule A Hiring Authority” to simplify the hiring process of people with intellectual, significant and psychiatric disabilities by not requiring candidates who have...

The popular job search website Monster.com will be the first job search and recruitment website in the industry to provide job seekers who are blind with full and equal access to all of its products and services including mobile applications.

There is a lot of talk today about “1 percent of the population.” When most people hear that phrase, they immediately think of the smallest percentage of the population with the greatest wealth. They think of the ‘have’s’ vs. the ‘have not’s.’

I’ve had the pleasure of listening to Kathy Martinez, Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, speak on a number of different occasions over the years.

As we head into the final week of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), much progress has been in the disability employment movement. Momentum is obviously on our side. But, that does not mean the road ahead will be easy or as fast...

Small businesses are the backbone of our nation's economy. In fact, in the United States, small businesses account for over 50 percent of all newly created jobs. While small businesses can provide excellent opportunities for millions of Americans,...

Our nation's economy continues to improve, the overall unemployment rate continues to fall and businesses are hiring at rates near pre-Great Recession levels. Unfortunately, however, the employment situation for people with disabilities is largely...

Dedicated to advancing knowledge, policies and practices to enhance the opportunities of people with disabilities, Cornell University's Employment and Disability Institute recently released this report to further examine inclusive workforce...

The LEAD Center is led by Social Policy Research Associates and National Disability Institute. It is fully funded as the WIOA Policy Development Center by the Office of Disability Employment Policy, U.S. Department of Labor, Contract No. 1605DC-19-F-00341.